Research and development for LIFE 360

This element of the partnership focuses on prototyping regenerative luxury through design research across disciplines. This new strand incorporates projects, exhibitions and publications working closely with the LVMH Environment team and LIFE 360, the LVMH environment strategy.

Automating Violacein

A Designer in Residence project showcased at the Future Fabrics Expo, London 26 - 28 June 2023.

Automating Violacein collection by Charlotte Werth 2023

How does microbial dye colouring alter the textile creative process?

The biological world holds many solutions to our environmental textile challenges. For the past decade we have witnessed the development of promising new microbial dyes, now reaching commercial scale.

There are 2 types of bacteria currently used to develop alternative textile dyes: wild type (found in the natural environment) or genetically engineered for improved performance. Either of these types can be used to biofabricate coloured pigments via a fermentation process in a bioreactor. In the case of more artisanal creative approach, the bacteria can also be grown directly onto cloth to create a range of patterning effects. Either process requires sterilisation to remove any live organisms from the resulting coloured pigments. Microbial research has evidenced clear environmental benefits in comparison with synthetic dyes. They can lead to significant water savings, as well as energy and chemical reduction. They are also biodegradable and can work across fibre types (cellulose, keratin or synthetic) without the need for toxic mordanting.

For textile designers, the application of bacterial colour onto cloth is more than an environmentally beneficial technical process, it is a new platform for creativity. Every new technique calls for imaginative applications. This is the focus of the collection Automating Violacein designed and produced by Charlotte Werth for the design residency 2023 at Maison/0.

The project stems from Charlotte Werth’s graduation project on MA Material Futures at Central Saint Martins UAL where she developed a bacterial printing machine. For the residency, Charlotte has explored further the potential of this automated technique to develop a range of printed textiles with Janthinobacterium lividum, a wild type soil-dwelling bacterium. The machine is designed to slowly move fabrics through a live bacterial bath, pausing long enough to allow for pigment depositing. The nutrient bath includes yeast extract, salt, protein and glucose. A low-energy built-in UV lighting system sterilises the cloth as it comes in the main chamber, thus removing the need for high energy autoclaving process. The same sterilisation process is in place as the fabric exits the machine to remove any live active bacteria. What is left is the colour traces created by Janthinobacterium lividum. By playing with folding, pleating, resist techniques and multiple dye run throughs, Charlotte has created a variety of patterns. The fabrics used for this collection come from luxury deadstock (silk, silk-viscose blend, wool) procured by Nona Source.

Maison/0 is the Central Saint Martins LVMH creative platform for regenerative luxury. Our mission is to prototype emergent and disruptive design concepts that can lead to the restoration of planetary health. With this design residency research project, we aim to leverage the agency of creativity to augment the potential of nature-positive bio-active processes.

Photography: Paul Cochrane

Film Director: Maël Hénaff